Chicken meat production in the Netherlands is slowly declining as more producers are favouring higher quality, lower population density, “slow-growth birds”, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report.

About 40 to 50% of Dutch production is now dedicated to this form of higher-end production. The Dutch retail market is almost exclusively dedicated to fresh chicken products under the scheme “Better Life”. This animal welfare label was first introduced in 2007. The “Better Life” label is owned by the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA). SPA cooperates with producers and retailers throughout the supply chain. 

Currently, the “Better Life” label is one of the most successful sustainability labels in Europe. It is ten times larger than the organic label used by the meat sector. It has quickly become a standard for the sale of chicken meat in supermarkets.